Bob Corker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bob Corker
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Official portrait, 2012
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| United States Senator from Tennessee |
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| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Bill Frist |
| Succeeded by | Marsha Blackburn |
| Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Bob Menendez |
| Succeeded by | Jim Risch |
| 71st Mayor of Chattanooga | |
| In office April 16, 2001 – April 18, 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Jon Kinsey |
| Succeeded by | Ron Littlefield |
| Tennessee Commissioner of Finance and Administration | |
| In office January 1995 – July 1, 1996 |
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| Governor | Don Sundquist |
| Preceded by | David Manning |
| Succeeded by | John Ferguson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Robert Phillips Corker Jr.
August 24, 1952 Orangeburg, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Elizabeth Corker
(m. 1987) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Tennessee (BS) |
Robert Phillips Corker Jr. (born August 24, 1952), known as Bob Corker, is an American businessman and politician. He served as a United States Senator for Tennessee from 2007 to 2019. As a member of the Republican Party, he was also the chairman of the important Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Before becoming a senator, Corker started his own construction company in 1978. He later sold it in 1990. In 1995, he was appointed as the Commissioner of Finance and Administration for Tennessee. He also bought two large real estate companies in Chattanooga, Tennessee. From 2001 to 2005, he served as the mayor of Chattanooga.
In 2006, Corker won the election for the U.S. Senate. He was reelected in 2012. In 2017, he announced he would not run for a third term.
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Early life and education
Bob Corker was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina. His family moved to Tennessee when he was 11 years old. His great-great-grandfather, Stephen A. Corker, was also a politician who served in the U.S. Congress.
Corker graduated from Chattanooga High School in 1970. He then went to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where he earned a degree in Industrial Management in 1974.
When he was in his twenties, Corker went on a mission trip to Haiti. He said this experience inspired him to get more involved in his own community. He helped start a nonprofit group called the Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise. This group has helped many people in Tennessee get loans to buy and fix up their homes.
Corker and his wife, Elizabeth, have two daughters.
Business career
Corker started working at age 13, collecting trash and bagging ice. After college, he worked as a construction superintendent for four years. He saved $8,000 and used it to start his own construction company in 1978.
His company grew quickly and worked on projects in 18 states. He sold the company in 1990. In 1999, he bought two of the biggest real estate companies in Chattanooga. He sold these companies in 2006. In 2005, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga honored him for his success in business.
Mayor of Chattanooga
Corker was elected mayor of Chattanooga in 2001 and served until 2005. As mayor, he focused on improving the city's economy, public safety, and schools.
He helped create a large industrial park that brought new companies and jobs to the city, including a Volkswagen factory. He also started a fund to help new and small businesses grow.
One of his biggest projects was the 21st Century Waterfront Plan. This $120 million project renovated the city's riverfront. It included expanding the Hunter Museum of Art and the Tennessee Aquarium. The project was a public-private partnership, meaning it was funded by both the city and private donations. It is seen as a major success that transformed Chattanooga.
Corker also had a vision for making Chattanooga a "Gig City." He pushed the city-owned utility company to build a super-fast fiber optic internet network. Today, Chattanooga offers some of the fastest internet speeds in the world to every home and business.
U.S. Senate career
Elections
In 2006, Corker ran for the U.S. Senate seat that was being left open by Senator Bill Frist. After winning the Republican primary, he faced Democrat Harold Ford, Jr. in the general election. The race was very close, but Corker won with just under 51% of the vote.
In 2012, Corker was reelected for a second term, winning with 65% of the vote. He kept his promise to only serve two terms and did not run for reelection in 2018.
Work in the Senate
As a senator, Corker worked on many important issues. He was a key member of the Committee on Foreign Relations and became its chairman in 2015. This committee deals with the United States' relationships with other countries.
He was also part of a bipartisan group of senators called the "Gang of 10." This group worked on plans for energy reform, including ideas for offshore drilling and funding for clean energy.
In 2008, Corker was one of only 16 senators who voted against a tax rebate plan. He was also against the government bailout for U.S. car companies. He argued that the companies needed to make major changes to their businesses first.
Corker supported the New START treaty with Russia in 2010. This treaty limited the number of nuclear weapons both countries could have. He was one of 13 Republicans who voted for the final version of the treaty.
In his final years in the Senate, Corker sometimes disagreed publicly with President Donald Trump. He expressed concern that the president's actions could weaken the country's position in the world.
Committee memberships
During his time in the Senate, Corker served on several important committees:
- Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: This committee works on laws related to banks, housing, and the economy.
- Committee on Foreign Relations: Corker served as the chairman of this committee, which oversees U.S. foreign policy.
- Special Committee on Aging: This committee studies issues affecting older Americans.
Key political views
Bob Corker is generally seen as a moderate conservative. This means his views are often in the middle of the Republican party.
Money and taxes
Corker supported making the tax cuts from 2001 and 2003 permanent. He also showed interest in a "flat tax" system, where everyone pays the same tax rate. In 2017, he voted for a major tax cut bill, saying he believed it was a "bet on our country's enterprising spirit."
Foreign policy
As chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, Corker was very involved in foreign policy. He supported the U.S. military's strategy in Iraq and Afghanistan but also called for more help from other countries.
He was critical of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which was an agreement to limit Iran's nuclear program. However, he also warned that pulling out of the deal could make it harder to make future agreements with other countries, like North Korea.
Corker supported providing weapons to Ukraine during its conflict with Russia. He also supported recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Health care
Corker opposed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) passed in 2010. He voted against the law and later supported efforts to repeal it.
Life after the Senate
After leaving the Senate in 2019, Corker kept his promise to only serve two terms. In 2020, he joined an investment bank called Jefferies Financial Group Inc. as a special adviser.
Images for kids
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Corker Senate portrait (2007)
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U.S. Senators Bob Corker, Richard Burr, Lamar Alexander, Kay Hagan, Congressman John Duncan, and Dolly Parton among others at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2009.
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Corker (left) at the World Economic Forum in 2018.
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Corker with U.S. Representatives Jim Cooper, Bart Gordon, and Zach Wamp.
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